Apparatus for cleaning and coating wire fabric



Nov. 21, 1933. e; R. ROEMER APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND COATING WIRE FABRIC 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 17, 1930 v gnaw/"toe A Gain- 92R. 5-7: enter Nov. 21,1933. 5 RQEMER I 1,935,995

' APPARATUS FOR cLEAMNG AND COATING WIRE FABRIC Filed July 17, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 George Roe/71w);

Nov. 21, 1933. e; R. ROEMER APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND COATING WIRE FABRIC s Sheets-Sheet is Filed July 17, 1930;

Jrwmtoa I GeorgeR.Roenwr;

Patented Nov.21,1933 a 1,935,995

'APPABATUS FOR CLEANING AND COATING WIRE FABRIC George B. Boemer, Kokomo, Ind., assignor to Continental Steel Corporation, Kokomo, Incl, a corporation of Indiana Application July 1'], 1930. Serial No. 468,103

6 Claims. (01. ill-12.1)

This invention has reference to a method of fabric from the cleaning to the zinc coati and apparatus for the continuous cleaning and means; coating of preferably wire fabrics. I Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation of the water While, no doubt, the invention is applicable for. bath in which the coated fabric is immersed after use on various and different forms and character being zinc .coated, whereby to cool, set and retain of fabrics, I have elected toshow its use in conthe brightness of the zinc coat on the wires, and nection with chain-link" type of fabric; a type Fig. shows a fragment of a chain-link of fabric which, in a large measure, is now being fabric. zinc-coated after weaving. Fabrics of this type Like characters of reference denote correspondare peculiarly fitted for erection as fences about ing parts throughout the figures. industrial property and around large estates. By referenceto Figs. '1, 1a, 2 and 2a,'.it will be Chain-link" fabric is made up of a series of observed that the apparatus, by means of which transversely extending picket members which are the continuous cleaning and coating of a fabric interlinked by interconnection of their mesh may be carried on, including the water cooling 5 forming portions and setting step and meansto interrupt feeding One of the objects of the present invention is of the fabric between the cleaning step and the to continuously clean and zinc-coat the fabric coating step, comprises a series of tanks 6, 7 and and to provide an automatic control means be- 8 arranged 'one in advance of the other; the tank tween the cleaning tanks and the galvanizing 6 for containing preferablya caustic alkali for the tank for interrupting the feed to the galvanizing purpose of removing dirt, grease or other ex-. tank when and in the event the coated fabric. is traneous matter from the surface of the wires; not taken away from the galvanizing tank at a the tank 7 for containing preferably water for speed comparable with the feed of the fabric the purpose of removing the alkali from the wires, through the cleaning tanks, and to again permit carried over from the tank 6, and the tank 8 for 25 of such feeding when conditions become normal. containing preferably an acid, such for instance The invention has for a further object to subas hydrochloric acid, whereby to cleanse the wires ject the zinc-coated fabric, .on its leaving the zinc and remove scale. In front of the tank 6 is a bath, to a liquid cooling agent, such, for example, table- 9 on which to rest a roll of uncoated fabric as water, and to move such coated fabric through and at which point a hook-up may be made lie-- 0 a predetermined water bath, whereby to cool and tween rolls of fabric to be coated, whereby the set the zinc coating and to retain its brightness continuous feeding, cleaning and coating may be during such setting step; also, in providing for carried on in an expeditious manner and with the proper and effective draining of the spelter little or no delay, thereby considerably reducing I along the wires of the fabric, on the removal of the cost which would otherwise occur due to un- 5 the coated fabric from the bath and before it necessary delay in handling of the'product.

enters the water, the result of which is to produce The fabric ismoved from the feed table 9 and a smooth, even and bright coat on thewires of through the cleaning tanks 6, '1 and 8 by a series, t fabric, of sets of properly spaced sprocket'wheels 10, 11, Other and further objects will more fully apl2 and 13. These sprocket wheels have sprocket pear from the following description. teeth properly spaced to enter into the mesh That the invention y more fully underopenings of the fabric, formed by its interlinked stood, reference is had to accompanying portions. to move the fabric. The set of sprocket am S forming part of this description, wheels 10 are carried on and operated by a shaft trating apreferred embodiment of the invention 14 joumaled m Smtable bean-11350.11 preferably 6 in which a J the tank 6; the set of sprocket wheels 11 are cara ried on and operated by a shaft 15 journaled in F195; 1 and taken togethe? i P side suitable bearings on preferably the tank '7 and lf which is partly 580mm the respective sets of sprocket'wheels l2 and 13 a g and matmg means emmdymg are carried on and operated by shafts 16 and 17,

Figs- 2 and 2a. taken t ge h h w in plan preferably the tank a. The fabric, as will be what; is illuglirattggltinhfigs-g Mil Wlth, One-half obvious, is slack between the respective sets of po on o e oug ou cu away; sprocket wheels that it may be immersed inand Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the clutch drawn through the liquid in the respective tanks 1 55 control means for interrupting the feed of the 6, and 8, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 1

respectively, journaled in suitable bearings on respective sets of sprocket wheels 11 and 12, where passage of the fabric from the tank 6 to the tank 7, is required a guide or guides 18 and 19 are provided and thereby the fabric is kept out of contact with sides of the tanks.

The shafts 14, 15, 16 and 17 are adapted to receive their power from a common source. In this instance an operating shaft 20, journaled in suitable bearings supported by or in connection with the several tanks 6, 7 and 8. Bevel gear wheels 21, 22, 23 and 24 on the shaft 20 mesh with and operate gear wheels 25, 26, 27 and 28 connected with the shafts 14, 15, 16 and 17, respectively. The operating shaft 20 is driven from a driving shaft, not shown, located overhead, or at some convenient point. From such a driving shaft a preferably chain-belt drive 29 connects with and operates a sprocket wheel 30 held loosely on the operating shaft and the hub of such sprocket wheel 30 is fashioned with a suitable clutch element 31 with which is adapted to have a clutch connection, a clutch element 32 keyed to have a slidable relation on said shaft 20, see Fig. 3. The clutch element 32 has operatively connected therewith a pivoted throw-member 33 which in turn is in operative connection with a lever arm 34 extending forwardly of the tank 8, as shown. On the opposite side of the apparatus, although not shown, is a corresponding arm, like 34, and the forward ends of said arms 34 are connected by a roller member 35, see Figs. 1 and 3, under which and against which the fabric is adapted to travel and bear in its movement from the tank 8 to the coating tank, to be referred to. When the arms 34 are moved to an upward position the clutch elements 32 and 31 are brought into engagement for the purpose of operating the shaft 20 and the shafts 14, 15, 16 and 17, as will be understood; but when the arms '34 are in a lowered position, the elements 32 and 31 are out of engagement and no power can be transmitted from the shaft 20 to the .shafts 14, 15, 16 and 17, as will be understood. It is a feature of this invention that the arms 34 are operated, to be lifted, when the fabric moving beneath and against the roller 35 is taut, and said arms will drop into an.

inoperative position when the tautness is out of the fabric, at the point of the roller 35.

Located at a suitable distance forward of the tank 8 is the galvanizing unit 36, and included in its structure is the galvanizing pan 3'7 in which the zinc spelter is placed and the pan heated by a suitable heating unit 38. To the feeding-in side of the pan 37 is arranged a set of sprocket wheels 39 carried by a shaft 40 journaled in bearings supported in a suitable manner on the unit 36. This set of sprocket wheels 39 are not unlike and function substantially the same as either of the sets of sprocket wheels 10, 11, 12 and 13. Located at the proper take-01f point above the pan 3'7-is a set of sprocket wheels 41 carried by a shaft 42 preferably journaled inbearings which are mounted for vertical adjustment, see Figs. 1a and 4. Other sets of sprocket wheels 43 and 44 are carried by shafts 45 and 46, respectively, in suitable spaced relation to each other at the takeoff side of the unit 36, whereby to direct the coated fabric away from the unit 36 and to a take-up table 4'7 where the coated fabric may be suitably rolled or reeled. The sprocket wheels 43 and 44 function similarly to the sets of sprocket wheels previously described. A guide roller 48 may be used, if desired.

The fabric being fed off of the set of sprocket and to properly direct the fabric to and over the wheels 13 to and under the roller 35 is then led or directed over a guide roller 49 at the feedingin side of the unit 36 and thence over the set of sprocket wheels 39, into and out of the pan 37, over the sprocket wheels 41 and finally over the sets of sprocket wheels 43 and 44 to the table 47. The depth to which the fabric may be caused to enter the zinc spelter in the pan 3'? may be regulated by the adjustable guide 50 under which the fabric must travel after entering and before leaving the pan 37, as will be understood.

Supported above and across the out-take side of the pan 37'is a water cooling pan 51, best seen in Fig. 4. This pan has its receiving side located 7 in proximity to the off-take side of the set of sprocket wheels 41, so that the fabric leaving said sets of sprocket wheels may be caused to enter the pan 51 and be immersed in the water in such pan. The wall of the pan 51 at its takeofi side is inclined, as shown at 52, to properly guide the fabric up and out of said pan, the

fabric first travelling along and across the bottom of the pan immersed in the water therein,

as shown. Locating the set of sprocket wheels 41,

as I have, above the pan 37, so that the fabric leaving the pan 3'! in a vertical direction with the angular portions of the pickets leaving the pan inclined toward it, the free spelter will drain back toward the pan, then immediately causing a change of direction in the travel of the fabric,

as it leaves the sprocket wheels 41 to enter the cooling pan 51, will allow any loose or unset spelter to reverse its direction of travel on the pickets,

thus assuring a uniform thickness of coating on the pickets. Then immediately immersing the coated fabric in thewater in the pan 51 it is cooled and set in such smooth and uniform condition on the pickets and such water treatment accomplishes the additional purpose of retaining the brightness of the zinc coat, which would 115 otherwise be dulled by atmospheric setting.

Between the sprocket wheels 41 and overlying the shaft 42 are located arcuate shaped guard members 53 over which the fabric rides, as carried forward by the sprocket wheels '41 from the 120 spelter pan 37 and the leaving side 54 of said guides are so shaped as to insure the coated fabric leaving the sprocket wheels 41 to become flexed and immersed in the pan 51. These guards are suitably supported by the unit 36, see Fig. 4.

When threading the apparatus with a fabric it is understood that the fabric after leaving the sets of sprocket wheels 41 is flexed and laid along the bottom of the pan 51, so that during the further and continued operation the pickets 130 .will fall naturally onto the bottom of the pan 51,

ner shown.

Although no operating means is shown for actuating the shafts 40, 42 and 45, associated with the galvanizing unit, it is to be understood, that these mechanisms, as well as the means for rolling up the coated rolls of fabric, may be 0perated from the same power source as that employed to operate the shaft 20 and that all shafts are operated substantially uniformly, wherebythe speed at which the fabric is pulled through the cleaning and galvanizing baths may be ap-' proximately equally maintained.

In the event, however, of the feeding means of the cleaning unit causing the fabric to be fed faster to the feeding means of the galvanizing unit, than the latter is'able to accommodate itwill be created an excess amount or an aocumulation of fabric or a slach created between the set of sprocket wheels 13 and the sprocket wheels 39, so to meet this condition the clutch means 5 in the drive is provided, as also the lever arms 34 under the control of the fabric, whereby when the tension in the fabric is lessened, causing a slacking of such fabric permitting the lever arms 34 to sag or drop, releasing the clutch means, disconnecting the power from the shaft 20 and stopping the feeding-in movement of the fabric at the cleaning unit and remaining so until the feeding means at the'galvanizing unit has taken up the slack, restoring the arms 34 to operative position and moving the clutch means to operative position and again imparting movement to the fabric at the cleaning unit.

What I claim is: 1. In an apparatus for continuously cleaning and coating wire fabrics, in combination, a cleaning unit, a galvanizing unit, means to continously move the fabric through said units, a clutch means for controlling the movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit, and means operated.

upon by the fabric between the two saidunits for controlling said clutch and thereby synchronize the movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit to the movement of the fabric tl' 1rough the galvanizing unit.

2. In an apparatus for continuously cleaning and coating wire fabrics, in combination, a cleaning unit, a galvanizing unit, means to continuously move the fabric'through said units, clutch means for controlling the movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit, means operated uponv by the fabric for controlling said clutch due to change in tension in the fabric between said units whereby to interrupt the movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit and thereby synchronizethe movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit to the movement of the fabric through the galvanizing unit, and means for water cooling and setting the coating on the wire immediately on the fabric leaving the galvanizing unit.

3. In an apparatus for continuously cleaning and coating wire fabrics, in combination, a cleaning unit, a galvanizing unit, means to continuously move the fabric through said units, means for interrupting the movement of the fabric by the fabric for actuating said interrupting means and thereby synchronize the movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit to the movement of the fabric through the galvanizing unit and means for cooling and setting the coating on the wire immediately on the fabric leaving the galvanizing unit.

5. In an apparatus for continuously cleaning.

and coating wire fabrics, in combination, a cleaning unit, a galvanizing unit, means to continuously move the fabric through said units, means for controlling the movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit, and means associated with the cleaning unit adapted to be operated upon by the fabric for actuating said controlling means'and thereby synchronize the move-,-

ment of the fabric through the cleaning unit to the movement of the fabric through the galvanizing unit. a

6. In an apparatus for continuously cleaning Q and coating wire fabrics, in combination, a cleaning unit, a galvanizing unit, means to continuously move the fabric through said units, means for controlling the movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit, means associated with the cleaning unit adapted to be operated upon by' the fabric for actuating said controlling means and thereby synchronize the movement of the fabric through the cleaning unit to the movement of the fabric through the galvanizing unit, a cooling bath arranged to receive and through which the fabric moves, and means to effect flexing of the fabric prior to entering the cooling bath thereby to cause passage of the fabric.

through the bath to enable cooling and setting of the coating thereon.

GEORGE R. ROEMIER. 

